Mystery Road

2013

2 hr. 2 min.

Crime

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

List

92%

36 Reviews

Tomatometer

64%

2,500+ Ratings

Audience Score

An aboriginal detective returns to the Outback to investigate the murder of a teenage girl.

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Critics Consensus

Mystery Road evokes classic Westerns while using its Australian outback setting to delve into a surprisingly layered -- and powerfully impactful -- array of social issues.

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Ron G

Complete waste of my time. I usually love 'down under' movies but this one left me so confused that I had to Goggle: 'Mystery Road explained' to make any sense of the ending. That wasn't because of the accents but because of the plot/action. If you don't agree with me count the number of shots were exchanged between the characters at the end and somehow our 'hero' and his vehicle escaped death/damage.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

12/11/23

Full Review

Wayne K

A slow-burn old school Western that eschews out and out violence in favour of weaving a tapestry of conspiracy, corruption and murder, Mystery Road follows an Aboriginal detective, who asks so many questions that it might make a fun, or possibly fatal drinking game. The central story revolves around the quest to solve a murder, which is pretty typical fare in a film like this, but the steady way it unfolds, as well as the social commentary it works in, keeps things compelling and unpredictable. You start to feel like our lead is one person against the world, working in a small town where bad things are ignored or dismissed for fear of rocking the boat, and where the most unscrupulous characters can get away with the worst crimes if they just do them out of sight. Hugo Weaving plays the kind of character who you can never get a handle on, and it gives his scenes with our lead an extra edge. The film builds to a tense climax, and the movies lack of music helps to emphasise the isolated feel of an Ozzy town. It's pace might put some people off, but for those who are willing to soak in the atmosphere and story, it's a very underrated flick.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/11/23

Full Review

Gareth v

Exceptional modern day western set in the remote and rugged yet stunning outback of Australia.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

06/23/23

Full Review

L H

One of the best TV series ever made.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/25/23

Full Review

Kyle J

Very slow-moving. Great acting. Realistic, just not much action till the end. C+

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/27/23

Full Review

pj m

Film was great. Hoping to also see the tv series.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Ivan Sen

Director

Aaron Pedersen

Detective Jay Swan

Hugo Weaving

Johnno

Jack Thompson

Charlie Murray

Ryan Kwanten

Pete Bailey

Tony Barry

Sergeant

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Mark Kermode

Observer (UK)

Sen (who also shoots, scores and edits) goes walkabout through the minefield of contemporary Australian culture, offering an evocative snapshot of an unravelling crime scene - social, racial and economic.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 31, 2014

Full Review

Tara Brady

Irish Times

A superior and taut outback adventure, you'd have to go back to Samson and Delilah to find an Australian feature this bonsa.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 29, 2014

Full Review

Geoffrey Macnab

Independent (UK)

Slow-burning but very powerful.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 29, 2014

Full Review

Nicholas Bell

IONCINEMA.com

An exploration of racial tensions through a radically placed protagonist, as well as a rousing finale, compensate for the lack of narrative oomph.

Aug 23, 2019

Full Review

Alexa Dalby

Dog and Wolf

Huge skies, low horizons, glowing orange sunsets and a depiction of a culture and environment we rarely see in genre mystery movies make Mystery Road an unusual and thought-provoking film.

Rated: 3/5

Jun 4, 2019

Full Review

Jared Mobarak

The Film Stage

I won't lie and say Mystery Road kept me on the edge of my seat for its duration, but there is a lot to enjoy in its delicately peeled back layers.

Rated: B-

Jun 27, 2016

Full Review

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Synopsis

An aboriginal detective returns to the Outback to investigate the murder of a teenage girl.

Director: Ivan Sen
Executive Producer: Gary Hamilton
Screenwriter: Ivan Sen
Production Co: Bunya Productions, Screen Australia
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English (Australia)
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 13, 2014
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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